Team-BHP - Why Enfield Bullet?

It is easy to pick out the lacunae of a 50 year old design and bash it. But for a small company with virtually no resources at their disposal, RE has done a commendable job in ironing out the issues with the Bullet and giving it some level of " user friendliness". Owning and riding one is definitely not logical - it is magical. I have been riding these for the last 18 years. Owned one for 10 years..

Before you think I have not ridden better bikes, I also own a Honda CB919. But there are times that I need a Bullet "fix". An enrichment of the soul that only the bull gives me.

Long live the bull - I will definitely buy my son one when he is old enough

Since my adolscent years i was fascinated with the bullet. I used to hear the occasional thumping of bullet during the college days and was amazed by the bike going on the highways. Thats when i decided to own one sometime in my life.

When i landed in a job in Bangalore i wanted to buy a Bullet, nothing else. I carefully observed various models and finalised on Bullet electra. I asked a colleague of mine (who owns a bullet for 9 years) to help me finalize the bike. I was discouraged by his response. He asked me why i want a bullet, he instead asked me to consider other bikes in market. In his words "owning bullet is like getting married, you need to learn about it , you need to get used to it and more than anything else you need to have lot of patience".

Finally i convinced him that i am a serious bullet lover and then he took me to the showroom. However after looking at standard, electra, thunder bird and machismo...my eyes fell on this one parked in the obscure corner of the showroom. And i immediately liked the bike more than any other model. Its Bullet 500. I bought it in January 2004.

Well, i had many problems during the first 6months. The Over head valves(OHV) used to get struck and bike wouldn't move an inch. After so many trouble shooting sessions, Dealer finally changed the head-block (in warranty). After that i didnt face any serious problems. Yes there are niggnling troubles here and there..thats part and parcel of owning a bullet. Over time i got used the bike. Now i became more knowledgeble about the bike and appreciate its qualities and requirements.

Well, coming to how much i loved or enjoyed the bike...boy! nothing else can give you the joy of riding on a bullet. Its damn reliable (if you know how to maintain it), it rode me and my wife back home safely during the heaviest of rains, bad roads and mud etc. It never once failed me when i am on road. Even in severe wheather/road conditions, i always felt safe and in control. Now, even my wife acknowledges this fact, after riding pillion for 3 years on this bike.

And its something i am gonna keep it for life.Now my 2.5 year old daughter is competing with me for the bullet :) So i will pass it on to her when she is old enough to drive.

Thanks
-Vaspro

I owned a new Machismo 350 with discs (red wine color). Its a great bike with plenty of aura. However its not a modern machine and has been bested in all facets (Performance, Relaibility, Build quality). This is a bulky machine with not enough power to classfy as a Hot ride !!

To put that in prespective the Triumph Bonneville, another timeless classic
weighed about the same as the Enfield, and had twice the power.
Even the Bonnie has moved to OHC and now produces almost 3 times the power of an enfield.

Both belonged to the same era of classic british motoring. The reason the enfield is so popular is because neither BSA, Matchless, Triumph or Nortan set up shop in India !!

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO (Post 319655)

A very distant parallel. But it is similar to the Harley Davidson craze in the USA, isnt it? There are surely bikes which make more power, handle better, are more comfortable and efficient than the Harley.

But to some....they do not match up to the aura and feel of a Harley.

Hi GTO,

Comparison of bullet to harley isn't fair. I know a few who wanted to ride harleys on their visit to US and rented them out for a week. But, they returned the bike in a day or two saying, ride quality is much better in bullet.

Dwarak

Once you've ridden a bullet, u'd not want to ride anything else.all others(bikes) seem inferior.It gives one a sense of freedom n power at the same time.also one feels thus truly riding in a royal ishtyle!

Bullets are meant to taken care of and pampered just like a woman.The minute u ingore it,it'll avenge u by immobilizing itself.Also there is no limit to accessorizing

Many say that the real 'shaan' of a bullet is the trail of oil it leaves behind! When one rides a royal enfield, the individual is obliged by it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by soumobakshi (Post 635064)

I have an Electra 4S 96 model.

Was there electra in 96!

Anyway, regarding the headlight setting... you can loosen the headlight rim holding screws and try adjusting it. still the issue with the scattered beam cannot be resolved.
Why don't you change the doom itself with an H4 (the same used in omni, ambi, trucks etc) it costs only around 120 bucks. And an H4 halogen bulb is only rs. 60. I'm using the same and pretty impressed.

My story goes like this..

I own a Suzuki fiero 2002 model Red color. Great pickup and till today the glossy shine of the bike never dies..

I dont know if it is infactuation or love, but get pulled towards a Enfield bullet. This feelings I have shared with the my family. My brother says if you like that buy it no point in avoiding what u like. So in the last one year i have gone 3-4 times to Bullet showroom near CMH road to get the quote and admire the Royale. In fact a Red Bullet or a green bullet is what i like

What seems to be stopping me is .. according to me its a great bike except for 3 problems..
a) the big thick gearbox kind of scares me and i dont personally feel its any great design. May be because i have owned Japanese cars and bike .. which dont show too much of muscle outside.
b) I heard from many about complaints of oil leaks and Cast-Iron engine.
c) I am kinda of shy person, I usually dont like getting unnecessary attention. So Riding a Muscle Bike like bullet, which could give me lots of pleasure but may look like a showoff for others..

So there is this mix of pshycological and over cautious attitude that is not allowing me get near to this bike.. But in my heart i want to ride that Bike.

Quote:

Originally Posted by four_tire (Post 635497)

So there is this mix of pshycological and over cautious attitude that is not allowing me get near to this bike.. But in my heart i want to ride that Bike.

One of my friends used to keep this signature on his email... It read "Just shut up and ride". :)
Rudeness or any attitude not intended...
The point is... Just get your hands on it and ride. Then you post here. Lets see what you think then.
PS: You should be ready to live with the niggling issues bullet gives.

Kph, thanks for the advice. I see that you are right. But the same thing happened even when i Sold my M800 and went in for another car (the OHC vtec). Iam not comparing M800 with OHC Vtec but I was dealing with giving up my M800. But now that i have a vtec. i hardly remember the driving of M800.. So i believe i will upgrade and soon this feeling of big bike will go away naturally

I heard that they are going to replace this Gearbox with a single-block one. Is that true. If thats true then what will be changes in the ride and performance of the Bullet. Please let me know.. I am ready to wait for it...

I agree with GTO, But still why one loves his/her bike or car over and over again . May be those owner who have taken time to tune and accessorize it will feel like having raised those babies themselves. So it become a part of them. On the other hand owners who just wanna use and change the vehicle would not understand this. For them its like candle which eventually burns itself out and need to buy a new one.

The fondness and care we attach to things around us makes them special and they by themselves are only dust on earth